Int'l Day of Persons with Disabilities

CCS Disability Action

FOR RELEASE: Wednesday 3 December 2008

New Government Should Take Action on International Day of Persons with Disabilities

As part of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, CCS Disability Action will be highlighting the work done towards the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the work that still needs to be done.

CCS Disability Action will be hosting a forum with international disability expert Eddie Bartnik. Eddie appeared earlier this year before the Social Services Select Committee who wrote the Inquiry Report into the Quality of Care and Service Provision for People with Disabilities and gave evidence about the relative merits of a Local Area Coordination disability support system in Western Australia.

The Inquiry Report showed current gaps between policy and practice in many service areas and provided clear recommendations for the Government to take forward. The report also emphasised the need for strong coherent leadership from Government.

Viv Maidaborn, CEO, believes that the new Government needs to take action on these recommendations immediately.

"Currently the system is preventing disabled people from achieving simple goals like getting a job, receiving a quality education, living somewhere they can call home, and meeting with friends and family," says Viv Maidaborn.

The previous Government worked in partnership with the disability community to promote New Zealand as a world leader in disability rights, leading the way with the development and ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

CCS Disability Action has prepared a briefing document for the new Government highlighting issues for immediate attention.

"It's essential for this new Government to work with the same spirit of partnership, to work in good faith with disabled people, their families and the disability community to implement the UN Convention, the recommendations of the Inquiry Report, and the numerous other reports, to ensure that New Zealand is a society that includes all people," adds Viv Maidaborn.

ENDS

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